MacLean Hesitates, Granada Hills Is Lost, 17-14

WOODLAND HILLS — Dazed and confused, Granada Hills High’s Brian MacLean looked toward the sideline. He had driven his team deep into Taft territory in the closing seconds of the Northwest Valley Conference showdown.

Only three seconds remained after MacLean’s completion to Eric Carpenter put the ball at the Toreadors’ eight-yard line.

The visiting Highlanders trailed, 17-14. They had no timeouts.

The officials were spotting the ball and about to signal for the clock to continue. Coach Tom Harp thought about a tying field goal, but there was not enough time to get the kicking unit in position.

The offense stayed on the field. MacLean stepped toward the line, unsure what to do.

“I didn’t know what the hell was going on,” he said. “I heard Coach Harp yell, ‘Field goal--get ready’ a couple of plays earlier, so I didn’t know what we were doing. All of a sudden the clock ran out.”

The horn sounded before the Highlanders could run a play, and Taft, which built a 17-0 lead early in the third quarter, had withstood Granada Hills’ spirited comeback.

“We were eight yards away from winning,” Harp said. “But everything was confused. We wanted to go for the end zone on the previous play. I wasn’t trying to leave us eight yards short, that’s for sure.” Taft (6-1, 4-0) is alone atop the conference standings.

The Toreadors built their lead on a first-quarter touchdown pass from Dayon Shaw to DaShon Polk and Jerry Brown’s 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Granada Hills (4-3, 3-1), frustrated by twice having first-and-goal opportunities in the first half but not scoring, finally broke through.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jason Ascencio faked a punt and instead threw a 31-yard pass to Carpenter for a first down. Eric Richardson scored on a 19-yard run on the next play.

Granada Hills recovered a fumble at the Taft 30-yard line on the ensuing kickoff and Richardson scored three plays later.

MacLean finished with 16 completions in 32 attempts for 202 yards. Carpenter had eight catches for 106 yards.

Taft’s Brown rushed for 139 yards.